This week, U.S. Senators Marco Rubio, Rick Scott, and Tom Cotton (as well as Congress member Elise Stefanik, who introduced parallel legislation) introduced the Countering CCP Drones Act in an effort to add DJI, a Chinese technology company, to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) “Covered List.” The “Covered List” identifies telecommunication equipment that poses a threat to America’s national security and bans their use in U.S. communications infrastructure. DJI is the world’s largest drone manufacturer, with operations in California as well.

The U.S. government has long been concerned about the use of DJI drones by government entities, especially in the armed services. The worry is that the Chinese government is collecting a large amount of Americans’ data through these drones and their drone software and technology.

This comes after several congressional representatives petitioned U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to add DJI to the Department of Commerce “Entity List.”  DJI’s inclusion on the “Entity List” would make it more difficult for U.S.-based companies to provide DJI with parts or services.